Carpet Cleaning Fluid Injection Apparatus

ABSTRACT

A carpet cleaning fluid injection apparatus for adaptation to a vacuum nozzle. The injection apparatus configured to surround the vacuum nozzle for purposes of injecting the cleaning fluid into the carpet in proximity to the vacuum nozzle and the vacuum nozzle configured for extracting the cleaning fluid from the carpet.

This application claims the benefit of the filing date of a provisionalapplication with Ser. No. 61/077,962 which was filed on Jul. 3, 2008,the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

The current invention relates to an apparatus for injecting a cleaningfluid into a carpet utilized in combination with a device for suctioningthe fluid from the carpet.

SUMMARY

A Marketdata Enterprises, Inc., study estimates that the carpet cleaningindustry in the United States in 2005-2006 was a $5.3 billion industry.This service industry continues to grow and demand improvements to thetechnology associated with the cleaning process. There continue to bewidespread efforts to improve the quality and the speed of cleaning ofcarpets including developments in chemical technology and equipment forcleaning the carpet.

The current technology is associated with deep cleaning of carpets, asopposed to standard carpet cleaning which applies only to the surfaceyarn of the carpet. The current technology is directed to the placementof a specially designed vacuum nozzle, also known as a subsurfaceextractor, over the stained area of the carpet. With the suction sourcein operation and connected to the vacuum nozzle the technician pours, byhand, a premixed solution from a container over the top of the vacuumnozzle allowing the solution to cascade over the top and down the sidesof the vacuum nozzle. The solution enters into the carpet and thesupporting pad in effect flooding the area in proximity to the stainsthat are to be removed. As the solution saturates the carpet and pad thegoal is to have it suctioned out of the carpet through the vacuumnozzle, thus flushing the staining debris up and out of the carpet.

Several problems can result from pouring of the cleaning agent onto thevacuum nozzle. First, the technician often times must be on her kneespouring the solution onto the carpet to properly control thedisbursement of the fluid. Second, this pouring technique often resultsin an uncontrolled rate of solution flow which is wasteful and it iscommon for the solution to migrate further than anticipated. Aninexperienced technician can pour more fluid onto the carpet than isnecessary to properly saturate the soiled area thereby causing the fluidto seep beyond the carpet, pad and flooring and in poorly monitoredsituations ultimately into the ceiling structure that may resideimmediately beneath the floor being cleaned. This often timesunfortunately results in serious sheet rock or ceiling tile damage.Third, the technician is limited by his solution source, such that whenher container of cleaning solution is empty she will have to stop thecleaning process, mix additional solution and then return to the task ofpouring and suctioning the carpet fluid.

The technology proposed herein eliminates the various pitfalls describedabove by providing a device that allows the technician to preciselycontrol the amount of fluid being delivered to the stained carpet,reducing the amount of time that the technician may need to spend on herknees and also by providing the technician with an ample supply ofcleaning solution so that repeated mixing of small batches becomesunnecessary. The proposed technology also greatly reduces the potentialfor over saturation of the carpet leading to seepage through theflooring possibly resulting in damage to the ceiling beneath the carpetbeing cleaned.

In order to remove stubborn stains from carpet there are four principlecomponents that enter into the cleaning. First, the chemistry of thecleaning fluid and particularly the pH of the fluid is important. Mostsoils register on the acid side of the pH scale and consequently inorder to neutralize the soils deposited in the carpet most cleaningagents are on the alkaline side. The highest quality of cleaning takesplace when the cleaning is performed with the opposite or at least witha lesser degree of pH. Additionally, emulsifiers are also a part of thechemical make up, which creates a suspension of the soils within thesolution and surfactants which are wetting agents that break surfacetension, allowing the solution to penetrate deeper into the fiber base.

Second, heat makes molecules active and it also breaks down adhesionsbetween the molecular structures in the soils. Heat also reduces surfacetension allowing soil to be more easily removed. Also this very actionhelps promote the reaction between the chemistry and the soils.

The third critical component in the arsenal of tools to clean carpets isthe agitation of the carpet fibers. Agitation by the technician movingthe cleaning device over the carpet or through some sort of poweredagitation helps in physically breaking soils away from the fibers so thesoils are easily suspended in the chemical and flushed away.

Fourth, time is used for several aspects of the cleaning process. Thefirst being what is called “dwell” time, that being the amount of timeneeded for the chemical pre-spray or pre-conditioner that is appliedfirst to breakdown the soils, and start the emulsification process. Timeis also a requirement in performing the work. Some situations requiremore time to accomplish the end result. Soils that have been allowedtime to bond with the fiber takes time to break that bond. Time that isallowed to have soils bond and build up in conjunction with sugar orstarch type soils takes time to remove, since the build up happens inlayers it has to come off in layers.

A carpet cleaning apparatus that in combination with the disclosedtechnology optimizes these carpet cleaning principles and comprises avacuum nozzle such as that disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 6,513,192. Thevacuum nozzle is placed in communication with a vacuum source that istypically vehicle mounted, however, stand-alone sources of vacuum mayalso be utilized. The vacuum nozzle of the '192 patent, as discussedabove, relies upon the manual application of the carpet cleaning fluidby either pouring the cleaning solution onto the carpeting from acontainer or utilizing a pressurized container that must be physicallycarried by the technician from one carpet stain location to the next.The movement of the supply of cleaning fluid is a cumbersome process forthe carpet cleaning technician that can lead to over saturation of thecarpet and pad, can produce a trip hazard for the technician as thecontainer of solution can be inadvertently backed-into and dependingupon the magnitude of staining it may require the technician torepeatedly mix cleaning solution thereby slowing the overall cleaningprocess. The repeated mixing can also lead to variations in thecomposition of the cleaning solution and ultimately to the cleaningpower of the solution resulting in differing stain removal capabilitiesand an uneven appearance for the carpet.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

These and other features, aspects and advantages of the disclosedtechnology will become better understood with reference to the followingdescription, appended claims, and accompanying drawings where

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the injection rig in combination withother elements of the carpet cleaning apparatus;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the injection rig in combination withthe vacuum nozzle;

FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the injection rig;

FIG. 4 is a bottom view of the injection rig in combination with thevacuum nozzle; and

FIG. 5 is an exploded view of the injection rig in combination with thevacuum nozzle and stand pipe.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The disclosed technology is directed to a carpet cleaning fluidinjection rig for use in combination with a vacuum nozzle that is wellknown by those skilled in the art. FIG. 1 reveals the disclosedtechnology in combination with the existing technology. The stand pipe15 includes grips 17, 19 for placement of the hands to provide maximumcontrol over the stand pipe 15 and to allow the technician to apply adownward pressure to the standpipe as needed to facilitate stainremoval. A vacuum source (not shown) is connected to the stand pipe 15at the end point 21. Variable control of the vacuum pressure dropprovided by the vacuum source to the carpet is provided by an adjustableplate 23 that can be incrementally opened and closed as necessary toincrease or decrease the magnitude of the vacuum that is supplied at thecarpeting. The stand pipe 15 also utilizes a flexible coupling 27 thatprovides a significant range of motion for the technician to positionthe stand pipe 15 at an angle that is comfortable for the height of thetechnician.

The standpipe 15 flexible coupling 27 terminates at the vacuum nozzle 35as seen in FIGS. 1 and 2 and is secured in position by a pair ofstandard radiator type clamps 37, 38 or other appropriate attachmentmeans. To provide a measure of rigidity to the connection between thestandpipe 15 and the vacuum nozzle 35, a pair of rotatable pivot joints40 are employed with one on two sides of the vacuum nozzle 35. A nozzleflange 42 extends upwardly from a securement ring 48 to the pivot joint40. A standpipe flange 43 extends downwardly from a standpipe connectionpoint 44 to the rotatable pivot joint 40. These various flanges andpivot points allow the technician considerable flexibility inmanipulating the orientation of the vacuum nozzle and yet also providingfor a secure vacuum supply line.

FIG. 2 further discloses the vacuum nozzle 35 disclosed at U.S. Pat. No.6,513,192. Further disclosed at FIG. 2 is the technology for injectingin a highly controllable manner carpet cleaning fluid in proximity tothe vacuum nozzle, wherein the injection rig 50 discharges the cleaningfluid into the carpet at a pre-designated flow rate with the vacuumnozzle 35 extracting the cleaning fluid from the carpet. The carpetcleaning technician can exert exacting control over the volume ofcleaning fluid delivered to the carpeting and has an ample supply todraw upon without having to prepare another batch of manually appliedcleaning fluid. Importantly, the cleaning fluid being injected throughthe injection rig 50 will retain heat longer than that supplied bymanually pouring the solution from a small container moved periodicallyby the technician.

As can be seen in FIG. 3, the injection rig 50 is comprised of fourhollow members 52, 54, 56 and 58. The hollow members are preferablycomprised of aluminum or stainless steel and welded together atendpoints 60, 62, 64 and 66, however, other corrosion and impactresistant materials, such as PVC, that can be effectively joined at theendpoints with a fluid tight seal may also be employed. Hollow members52, 54, 56 and 58 are preferably round with an outside diameter ofbetween 1.5 inches and 0.75 inches and an interior diameter of between0.50 inches and 1.25 inches, however, a wide range of dimensions willsuffice for delivery of the carpet cleaning fluid. The hollow members52, 54, 56 and 58 may be cut to numerous lengths to accommodate thevarying dimensions of the vacuum nozzles 35 to which they are attached.

As is seen in FIGS. 3 and 4, the hollow members 52, 54, 56 and 58 alsoinclude a plurality of apertures 68 on the downward, or carpet facing,portion of each member. The apertures 68 are for injecting the heatedcarpet cleaning fluid downwardly into the carpet. The apertures 68 arealso preferably angled slightly inward to the vacuum nozzle 35 so thatthe fluid can permeate the carpet and migrate to the vacuum nozzleextraction holes 70 as seen in FIG. 4, by the suction force. Apertures68 are preferably separated by approximately 0.25 inch to no more thanone inch. Additionally, the apertures 68 are preferably angled inwardlytoward the vacuum nozzle 35 at an angle ranging from 10 to 45 degreesfrom horizontal with aperture openings ranging preferably from 1/32 to5/32 inch in diameter.

As seen in FIG. 4, the injection rig 50 is preferably spaced apart fromthe outer walls 71 of the vacuum nozzle 35 by a gap 72 of between 0.25and 0.5 inches on all sides 52, 54, 56 and 58. This gap 72 facilitatesplacement of the injection rig 50 over the vacuum nozzle 35 withoutinterference between the two components. In addition, the over sizing ofthe injection rig member lengths so that there is no friction fitbetween the vacuum nozzle 35 and the injection rig 50 reduces stressloading on the joints 60, 62, 64 and 66 that could result in theirfailure causing subsequent and undesirable leakage of the carpetcleaning fluid.

As seen in FIG. 2, the injection rig 50 employs four attachment brackets74 that are preferably secured by welding to the injection rig 50 duringmanufacture of the rig 50. The attachment brackets 74 include a step-up76 that provides the elevation necessary for the attachment bracketlanding 78 to rise to the level of the upper surface of the vacuumnozzle 35. With the bracket landing 78 setting atop the vacuum nozzle 35the four attachment brackets 74 may be secured to the upper surface ofthe vacuum nozzle 35 with the aid of attachment means 80 such as screwsor rivets

Once the injection rig 50 is secured to the vacuum nozzle 35 the carpetcleaning supply line 90, as seen in FIG. 2, is secured to the inlet port95 of the hollow member 52. The heated carpet cleaning fluid is suppliedto the injection rig 50 as required by the carpet cleaning technicianthrough the use of a hand controlled lever 97 as seen in FIG. 1. Theinlet control valve 100 includes a quick disconnect feature 102 and avalve assembly 104. Exiting from the control valve 100 is the supplyline 106 that extends down the length of the standpipe 15 to theinjection rig 50.

Operation of the Injection Rig Kit

In operation, the injection rig 50 is secured to the vacuum nozzleutilizing the attachment brackets 74 and attachment screws 80. Theinjection rig 50 is positioned so that the lower edge of the hollowmembers 52, 54, 56 and 58 are elevated slightly above the lower surfaceof the vacuum nozzle 35. This elevation is facilitated by the step-upfeature 76 provided by the attachment brackets 74. Additionally, aslight gap between the injection rig 50 and the vacuum nozzle 35minimizes the stress loading on the injection rig and decreases theprospects for rupture of one of the joints 60, 62, 64 and 66.

Once secured to the vacuum nozzle 35, the supply line 90 extendingdownwardly from the control valve 100 is secured to the inlet port 95.The stand pipe 15 is secured to the vacuum nozzle 35 with the flexiblecoupling 27 and is rigidly yet rotatably coupled through the pivotjoints 40. The pivot joints 40 serve to connect the nozzle flange 42 andthe standpipe flange 43 with the flexible coupling secured in positionby clamps 37, 38. The vacuum source is also connected to the standpipeat the endpoint 21 thereby completing the connection between the vacuumsource (not shown) and the carpeting. The cleaning technician canmanipulate the pressure drop to the carpet by opening and closing theadjustable plate 23 on the standpipe 15. An increase in vacuum at thecarpeting may be needed to address particularly stubborn stains andsoiling.

The carpet cleaning technician connects the heated cleaning fluid supplyline to the quick disconnect 102 on the standpipe 15. The fluid is thenready for delivery to the injection rig as needed by the technician tofacilitate rapid and thorough stain removal. When the valve assembly 104is opened by the technician rotating the lever 97, carpet cleaning fluidflows from the supply tank (not shown) past the valve assembly, down thesupply line 106, into the injection rig 50 through the various hollowmembers 52, 54, 56 and 58 and is ejected from the plurality of apertures68 into the carpet. Since the apertures are angled slightly inwardlytoward the vacuum nozzle 35 the carpet cleaning fluid is pulled beneaththe vacuum nozzle where the heat and agitation of the fluid cause thesoils and stains to be extracted from the carpet.

As cleaning fluid is applied to the carpet through the injection rig adownward pressure is applied to the standpipe 15 at the handgrips 17, 19by the technician. This handgrip 17, 19 directed pressure serves to sealthe area beneath the vacuum nozzle 35 allowing the vacuum to draw thesoil and staining from the carpet. Once the technician is confident thatthe cleaning fluid has been extracted from the designated area of thecarpet, the positioning of the adjustable plate 23 can be modified toreduce the vacuum applied against the carpet thereby releasing thevacuum nozzle from the carpet. The technician then moves to the nextstained area of the carpet and begins the process again to delivercleaning fluid to the carpet and the process of extracting it.

Those skilled in the art appreciate that variations from the specifiedembodiments disclosed above are contemplated herein and that thedescribed embodiments are not limiting. The description should not berestricted to the above embodiments, but should be measured by thefollowing claims.

1. A kit for attachment to a carpet cleaning fluid vacuum nozzle, thekit comprising: a plurality of hollow members configured to deliverpressurized carpet cleaning fluid, the members extending around theouter perimeter of the vacuum nozzle, wherein the hollow members includea plurality of apertures for controlled release of the pressurizedcarpet cleaning fluid into the carpet.
 2. The kit of claim 1, whereinthe hollow members surrounding the outer perimeter of the vacuum nozzleare disposed substantially parallel to the surface of the carpet and aredisposed above a bottom surface of the vacuum nozzle.
 3. The kit ofclaim 1, wherein the apertures are disposed within the members forinjecting fluid downwardly into the carpet and inwardly toward thevacuum nozzle.
 4. The kit of claim 1, wherein the flow rate of thecleaning fluid through the hollow members is in the range of 0.2 to 2gallons per minute.
 5. A carpet cleaning fluid injection device foroutfitting a carpet cleaning fluid vacuum nozzle for injecting carpetcleaning fluid into carpeting, the device comprising: a fluid injectionrig, the injection rig comprising a plurality of hollow memberscircumscribing the vacuum nozzle for delivery of the cleaning fluid, aplurality of downwardly and inwardly facing apertures within thecircumscribing members for dispersing the cleaning fluid into thecarpet, and a fluid delivery control apparatus for regulating the volumeof cleaning fluid delivered to the carpet.
 6. The injection device ofclaim 5, wherein the hollow members are comprised of tubularconstruction and the diameter of the apertures is in the range of 1/32to 5/32 inches.
 7. A carpet cleaning fluid injection apparatuscomprising: an injection rig for delivery of carpet cleaning fluid tothe carpet, the injection rig circumscribing a vacuum nozzle, theinjection rig further comprising a plurality of hollow members fordelivery of cleaning fluid each with a plurality of downwardly facingapertures for delivery of the cleaning fluid to the carpet; and a fluiddelivery control device for controlling the rate of delivery of thefluid to the injection rig.